Second Cold War
The Second Cold War took place around two years after the conclusion of the Third NoHead War, fought between the forces of the Knights of Plague, a military junta and offshoot of the NoHeads, and the S.M.S.B., the prevailing faction of superheroes in the solar system. Origins At the end of the First NoHead War waged between the Police Grand Army and the NoHeads, a girl named Paige Nelson led the Grand Army through the NoHead Cataclysm, wiping out the NoHeads and leaving few survivors. After the wipeout of the NoHeads, Mr. Stupid NoHead took his young sons into his charge, planning to train the children as his own apprentices. It is unknown if Annabeth Black can be classified as a NoHead Recruit, Mr. Stupid NoHead's military junta, but if she was, she would have been the leader. Mr. Stupid NoHead found out about the threat Peter Hecks imposed, leading to the baby becoming Baby Intelligence and helping the Police Grand Army gradually deal the NoHeads several setbacks, but not without suffering considerable casualties of their own. The NoHeads suffered a critical and irreparable defeat during the Battle of the Eastern Field with the fall of the NoHead Recruits. This was followed by the redemption of Sebiscuits Cardarphen, the arrest of Pythoman, and the death of Annabeth Black, extinguishing the Order for good. History The conflict begins The fall of the NoHeads at the City Volcano and the conclusion of the Second NoHead War in 2020 marked what would prove to be the beginnings of decreased hostilities between the shattered superpower and the government. While the violence did not resume, the government and an organized remnant of the NoHeads became locked into a cold war. While this standoff was of certain significance, the rest of the NoHeads, while disjointed, did not cease to exist by any means. In 2035, Master Intelligence received wind that Nagatha had come back to life, after the snake was killed by Sebiscuits Cardarphen. Whilst trying to get to the bottom of it, Master Intelligence, alone, met the Gladiator for the first time. Realizing the Gladiator was too dangerous to be left alive, he drew his sword and attempted to cut him down, but the Gladiator Apparated away with Nagatha. Master Intelligence immediately realized it was the Gladiator who had brought Nagatha back from the dead. Tension rising After that encounter, Master Intelligence strived to get to the bottom of the Gladiator and Nagatha’s existence, and realized that the Knights of Plague were existent and attempting to furfill the factions of the NoHeads. The S.M.S.B. engaged them in a short series of battles, but there were no casualties. In 2040, an uneasy peace existed between the U.S. Government and the Knights of Plague, the latter of which had been formed from the remnants of the NoHeads. The Knights began rebuilding its military and acquiring advanced weapons and aircraft. The Gladiator's forces also frequently crossed the country's borders and launched several incursions into places near the Capitol of Maryland. Despite mounting reports of Knight re-militarization and aggression, the government refused to take forceful military action against the Order. The Government Defense Fleet was ordered not to seek engagement with the Gladiator's forces and to keep a lookout. Later on, Master Intelligence and Red X encountered the Gladiator once again. After calling Red X back, Master Intelligence engaged the Gladiator in a duel. The Gladiator, however, parried his initial attack and then tortured Master Intelligence and tried to possess him for good, but when it didn’t work, he tried to murder him using his sword. The nature of their swords’ mystical connection caused their swords to interlock with the first attack, which created an effect called Pitial Defilatelum (Bladelock Effect). After a battle of wills with the Gladiator, Master Intelligence was interceded by Red X, who blasted the Gladiator away. She then grabbed Master Intelligence’s hand and they were able to escape. Attack on the MBH While heading to the MBH, Nagatha recovered news that Alyssa and Andromeda are indeed the same person. Instead of avoiding the S.M.S.B., the Gladiator sent Nagatha to find a breaking point for which they could enter the base and attack it successfully. The snake immediately proceeded into the MBH through a service pipe. Andromeda heard a snake slithering, and emerged to find that Master Intelligence and Sebiscuits were already on the case. Nagatha then emerged, biting at her adversaries and coming close to incapacitating Master Intelligence. The tables turned when Andromeda repelled Nagatha from Master Intelligence using a Blasting Beam that also ended up breaking Cardarphen's sword. Andromeda then assaulted her with both fire and telekinesis, forcing the snake to Apparate through a window. With Nagatha defeated, Andromeda, Master Intelligence, and Sebiscuits congratulated one another on their hard-fought victory. Andromeda’s spirits were highly brightened after the battle. She was not as gloomy and began to improve on her training. Battle of Transylvania After the Knights of Plague made two unsuccessful attempts to steal the Orb of Power from Transylvania Quarters, it was realized that only S.M.S.B. members and government officials could remove them from the shelves in the Hall of Domination. Thus, in January 2042, the Gladiator sent Lindsay Kellerman a vision that the Knights of Plague were building a bomb that could destroy America in an instant. As a result, Lindsay, Master Intelligence, and the other S.M.S.B. members flew to Transylvania Quarters to stop the Knights of Plague. After obtaining the Orb, they were confronted by Rudolph Lestange, Sebastian Lestange, Nolan Giles, Eve, Wallace Blanks, Caberra, John, Augustus Salt, George, Monroe, second-in-command Becca Smith, and the Gladiator himself as leader. The S.M.S.B. members quickly distracted the Knights of Plague, scattering throughout Transylvania Quarters, and frequently encountering and dueling with the dark mutants. Andromeda and Force Baby were incapacitated, as well as numerous Knights of Plague, but there were no fatalities until Red X sacrificed herself to destroy the Gladiator’s bomb, foiling his plans to destroy America once and for all. As the battle continued, the Gladiator moved in to attack the members, but Master Intelligence knocked him away and the two engaged in a duel of epic proportions. However, the Gladiator ultimately lost after he lost his sword in an abyss and Lindsay intervened in the fight. In the meantime, Andromeda encountered Becca Smith, her mother. Andromeda seemingly convinced Becca to rejoin her, but Becca impaled her with her sword, and Andromeda fell into the abyss below. Force Baby wounded Becca with a gunshot, and he proceeded to shoot down several unsuspecting Knights, ending with Augustus Salt. As Master Intelligence captured the Gladiator with cords, the three surviving Knights of Plague attacked, though they surrendered after Master Intelligence returned. Intelligence quickly rounded up the survivors and announced their capture, around the same time that Sebiscuits defeated Becca Smith in a duel. Aftermath The Gladiator was captured and detained in the top cell of a prison he himself had built to hold his enemies. Everybody regretted Red X’s death bitterly, but as a result of it everybody else survived. A few days later, Master Intelligence buried both Red X and Andromeda in Lioness graveyard, next to Paige Nelson. Behind the scenes The cold war has not actually appeared in any released material yet. Until 9 December, 2017, the conflict had yet to receive an official name, or an official beginning date of the conflict. Appearances * * * * Notes and references Category:Conflicts Category:Second Cold War Category:Knights of Plague Category:The S.M.S.B. Category:U.S. Government Category:Conflicts in the United States of America